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The Importance of Olfaction for Predator Detection in Spectral Tarsiers

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Leaping Ahead

Part of the book series: Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects ((DIPR))

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Abstract

A limitation of many experimental studies in predation is that they assume primates only use visual and auditory cues to discern the presence of predators and ignore the importance of olfactory cues. This is an obvious gap in predation research, given the importance of chemical information, particularly for nocturnal species. I conducted a study of the role of olfactory signals in predator detection by spectral tarsiers, Tarsius spectrum, at Tangkoko Nature Reserve in Sulawesi, Indonesia. For 80 nights, 20 adult tarsiers were exposed to a wooden civet model covered in civet urine, a wooden civet without urine, a stick covered in civet urine, and a stick without urine. Antipredator responses were overwhelmingly more frequent and more intense in the presence of civet urine, indicating that olfactory cues play an important role for spectral tarsiers in detecting terrestrial predators.

Resume

Une limite de nombreuses études expérimentales portant sur la prédation est qu’elles se fondent sur l’idée que seules la vision et l’audition sont utilisées pour détecter un prédateurs, et ignorent l’importance de l’olfaction. C’est une faille évidente de la recherche sur la prédation, dans la mesure où l’olfaction est particulièrement importante pour la détection des prédateurs, surtout pour les animaux nocturnes. J’ai mené cette étude dans la Réserve Naturelle de Tangkoko, à Sulawesi, en Indonésie. Au cours de 80 nuits, 20 tarsiers adultes ont été exposés à un modèle de civette en bois, et à un bâton de bois tous deux imbibés ou non d’odeur de civette. Les réponses anti-prédatrices ont été considérablement plus fréquentes et plus intenses en présence d’urine de civette, ce qui indique que les indices olfactifs jouent un rôle important dans la détection des prédateurs par les tarsiers spectraux.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this research was provided by Primate Conservation, Inc., the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Fund, and Texas A&M University. I thank the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), the Directorate General for Nature Preservation and Forest Protection (PHPA) in Manado, Bitung, Tangkoko, and Jakarta, SOSPOL, POLRI, the University of Indonesia, Jatna Supriatna and Noviar Andayani for their sponsorship while in Indonesia. Special thanks to my field assistants (Ben and Felik) for their help with data collection. The protocol for this research was reviewed and approved by the Texas A&M University IACUC committee.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, MS 4352, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    Sharon L. Gursky

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  1. Sharon L. Gursky
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Correspondence to Sharon L. Gursky .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Zoology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa

    Judith Masters

  2. Dipto. Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo, Università di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, 10123, Italy

    Marco Gamba

  3. School Biological and Conservation Sci., University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

    Fabien Génin

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Gursky, S.L. (2012). The Importance of Olfaction for Predator Detection in Spectral Tarsiers. In: Masters, J., Gamba, M., Génin, F. (eds) Leaping Ahead. Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4511-1_26

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